A Past Long Forgotten Chapter 1: Forgotten Memories
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Sephiroth's Mind- Lifestream
Life, Love. That's what she used to tell me, things she offered. Jenova. she always was a selfish bitch.And what for? Life and Love are silly things, manifested by an ignorant, humane soul. But what does it matter? I'm alone now, with my payment. An eternity of thinking of my sins, even more painful than hell itself.
What's this? Someone coming towards me?
Aeris' Mind- Lifestream
Life is full of surprises.
One moment in time will be etched in my mind forever. The startled look on Cloud's face, the quick sword of death as it slashed through my prayer, my mind, and my body. Now I live alone, guarding the planet, not permitted to enter the promised land. I'm not a full blooded Cetra, so I must suffer for the sins of thousands. Though I'm not one to complain, I'm bitter.
A dark cloaked man? Please say he's come to talk. I've been lonely far too long.
A woman clad in pink awoke on a soft bed of flowers. She smiled, the place smelt like roses, soft and fragrant. She slowly stood up, and brushed the dust and dirt off of her dress. The place seemed familiar, but why? Suddenly, it felt good to simply be alive. And all at once, that feeling was replaced with horror. She realized with a shock that she couldn't remember who she was, where she came from.
"Aeris...Aeris.." she heard a soft whisper in her head.
"A-.A-Aeris?. is that my name?" She asked to no one in particular.
As if in answer, a soft breeze blew through the church, whisking her soft curls to the side. She smiled, Aeris was a nice name. She wouldn't know until much later how important she was, nor that the soft voice in her head was that of the planet's.
Finding a cloak hanging on a loose nail by the door, Aeris covered herself, carefully covering her figure and face. For some reason she felt it wasn't safe to walk around simply in her dress, particularly in this town, alone. She didn't notice the staff so carefully placed beneath it.
She walked outside to find it was a chilly November's day. Walking towards the entrance to the newly rebuilt sector 7, Aeris was suddenly overwhelmed by people.
"Watch out!" She heard a yell as she was pushed to the side by a man with a handful of parcels. Stepping to the side, she put a hand over her heart, startled.
Everywhere she looked there was activity. In fact, she was fascinated for the remainder of the day, simply walking and watching. As the night came, she found herself eager to get back to the church, exhausted. She was turning down a street when she realized she had no idea where she was.
"Okay Aeris." She mumbled to herself, "Think.." Before she could finish deciding to go right or left, she found a strong hand on her upper arm. Turning sharply, she was face to face with a grinning, yellow toothed man.
"Excuse me. sir." She started, pulling her arm away. "Could you help me?. I'm lost." She uttered, not realizing the consequences of her words.
"Oh sure sure. come this way." He ushered her towards a dark alley.
"...I don't think that's the way back to my house-" Aeris had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. This wasn't right, she had to find a way out..
The man grinned again, displaying his crooked teeth before reaching up and slamming her head into the metal of the pillar.
Before she could scream, the heroine formerly known as Aeris Gainsborough fell unconscious in a heap. But before the man could drag her away to the alley to have his way with her, he would have to get past a pair of glowing green eyes that were attached to a menacing man.
Blurry, everything was blurry. he awoke in an abandoned old house, surprisingly well kept. A tall man in his late twenties stood up, brushing silver bangs out of his face and looking at his surroundings. He was in Midgar. he knew that, somehow. Perhaps years of the place ingraved into his mind, or maybe because it was just a difficult place to forget, he remembered. Other than his location, the man found himself drawing a blank.
He couldn't even remember his name. Moving to the window of the bedroom he'd awoken in, he looked outside. Bustling with activity, the Midgar Slums were a sight to behold. Not showing a trace of emotion, he turned from the scene. Looking to his side, he noticed a sword. Long, thin, and menacing, he pulled it from his sheath. It felt familiar in his hands, like it belonged.
"Masamune." He recalled without thinking. Swinging it a few times, he found that he was an expert at using it. Katas were simple and done with grace and skill. After several long moments, the planet spoke to him as well.
"Sephiroth, call yourself Sephiroth." It whispered.
He looked around, as if expecting to see someone. but decided that Sephiroth was a fitting name for one such as he. Not once smiling, he slipped on a black trenchcoat that reached to the floor, finding it just beside the door, much like Aeris' cloak. He stalked outside, carefully hiding himself within the crowd for some unknown reason.
He sat down beside a large alley, simply watching people go by. It's amazing how much you can find by watching.Weak. he thought to himself, unknowning, naiive. Sephiroth appeared strong on the inside, but it was only a façade, to hold the emotional and unstable man inside. For some reason, he felt superior. but why should he? Why were these people any better or worse than he?
He sat there, unnoticed, unmoving, for a long time. Until the slums grew darker than they normally were. The crowds had tapered off, when Sephiroth decided that he should wander elsewhere. Until a gentle, feminine voice met his ears. Just at the next alley, a beautiful girl was talking with some lowlife from the slums. What was a girl like that doing in a place like Midgar? Worrying for her for some unknown reason, Sephiroth slowly crept towards them with the stealth and grace of a cat inching in on its prey.
He saw her tear her arm from the man, ask for directions. and then he watched her eyes widen in horror as he pulled and pushed her towards an alley. Sephiroth growled angrily. He wouldn't watch an innocent girl be taken advantage of. His anger reached its peak when the man knocked her unconscious. He stepped just in front of the alley he was pulling her towards, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
The man turned, a disgusting grin on his face, and nearly tripped backwards over the girl when he saw Sephiroth standing there.
Sephiroth stared at him cooly. "What do we have here?" He asked, gesturing to Aeris.
The man was speechless, could that be Sephiroth? The legendary soldier? He took an involuntary step backwards when he noticed the masamune at his side. Either he was drunker than he thought, or Sephiroth was standing in front of him. He didn't dare take the girl now. instead he chose the safe alternative, turning and fleeing.
Sephiroth raised a palm and cast a fire spell on him, when the smoke cleared, the man was nowhere in sight.
Leaning down beside the girl, he noticed a small trail of blood from her lip, and a nasty bump on the side of her head. Carryfully scooping her up, Sephiroth felt an odd familiarity about her and her heavenly face. All the while he walked back to his own home, cradling her petite form, he couldn't help but stare a bit. He couldn't ever remember a face quite like hers. He suddenly wondered what she was like when awake. but scolded his thoughts. He would let her rest and heal, but then she would be sent away. His life was too solitary for a friend. He shut and locked the door behind him before finding a safe place for the girl. Wiping the blood from her chin, he gently brushed a few of her bangs from her face, and soon found himself asleep beside her.
Author's Notes: Don't know if this makes much sense. the beginning was just some thought I thought Sephy and Aeris might have after their deaths. The "man" or person mentioned was just who or whatever sent them back to the planet alive. Some of that will be revealed later. Reviews would be nice.
Bree